A Jigger of Blog

I participated in my first Thursday Drink Night last night. The focus was on Irish whiskey and I ended up submitting three creations. It was a great time and I was blown away by the creativity of some of the other folks taking part. All of it makes me really value the creative side, as well as the importance of having plenty of good fruit, syrups, spices, and liquors around to expand what’s possible. Anyway, here are my creations for TDN.

The Knackers’ Conference (inspired by Brian Miller’s The Conference)

1/2 oz. Irish whiskey
1/2 oz. Laird’s bonded apple brandy
1/2 oz. cognac
1/2 oz. rye
1/2 oz. Domain de Canton ginger liquor
3 dashes Angostura bitters
2 dashes orange bitters

Shake over ice. Serve in a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with lemon peel and flamed orange peel.

Glendalough Memory

1 1/2 oz. Bushmills
1/2 oz. Scarlet Ibis rum
1/2 oz. St. Germain Elderflower liquor
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
2 dashes orange bitters

Shake over ice. Serve in a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Inish Sunrise
1 1/2 oz. Bushmills
1/2 oz. fresh orange juice
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. cane sugar syrup
dash Angostura bitters
1 fresh twig rosemary
dash Paprika

Strip rosemary leaves and muddle with orange and lemon juice. Strain into shaker with ice, cane sugar syrup, whiskey, and bitters. Shake. Serve on the rocks. Garnish with a dash of paprika.

I also ended up making another cocktail on the way to discovering the Glendalough Memory. I didn’t submit it to TDN, but here it is:

Wicklow Memory

1 1/2 oz. Bushmills
1/2 oz. St. Germain Elderflower liquor
1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
Dash orange bitters

Shake over ice. Serve in chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon peel.

It was good too, but I thought it needed a bit more depth, which is why I moved towards the Scarlet Ibis, more lemon, and simple syrup. I was really happy with the outcome, but still think the Wicklow Memory is a drink worth, you know, remembering.